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Very Dark Loaf

Just cooked my 3rd loaf of sourdough bread this morning. It came out very dark. Almost burned. 30 minutes at 500 and 15 minutes at 425. I cooked it in a cast iron dutch oven in my gas oven. 30 minute pre heat. The bottom is almost charcoal black. I use an oven thermometer so my temps are accurate. I got good rise and a nice looking loaf, just too dark. Is there anything obvious that I am doing wrong.

Replies

My first move would be to reduce the temperature. I start at around 270C (near enough to 500F) but I reduce the temp progressively (starting as soon as the loaf has gone in) through a 40 minute bake to finish at 180C ( about 360F). This sort of simulates the falling temperature that you would see in a wood-fired oven.

Sounds like good advice, I have been doing some reading on other sites and almost nowhere else does it specify 500 as a start temp. Most are around 425-450 so I had pretty much decided to do that as well, I will incorporate your falling temp idea gradually.

Just made my 4th loaf. Success. Not perfect but not bad. 400 for 20 min, uncover 20 min more at 350 done in a cast iron dutch oven. I went to bake it at 10:30 am, and ,my oven would not work, called service. They came at 3:00 PM. By this time the bread had been rising for 4.5 hours, figured it would be a disaster. After the tech left I figured what the heck so I went for it. Just took it out looks nice and GBND. Probably just be one big hole in the center. Will post a pic if it's worth it.